The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-07-22
MRS. BARKER'S MOOD.
~No wood !"

/
xood yard. Two or three green log.
lay there, against ono of which an ay
leaned in cleft formed by stove
ength being half chapped off. Her
husband and his hired help, consisting
Of iaan and boy, had just gone to theii
work on distant part Of the farm, and
'he knew she should see neither Of
them before dark.
What should she do? HALF impa.
hently she turned toward the house, and
then, with thought of the pan of light
dough waiting inside. she began to
gather some Of the chips which lay
around, only to fling them down again.
TITS no use. I can't bake bread
With these. know what I'll do"
Sho quickly washed the dinner dishes
With the slready cooling water, and
.hcn went to the stable, in which, with
hands do1trous by practice IN such
work, she had soon hnrnessed horse
10 light buggy.
"Mother and the girls will think I'm
crazy" she said to herself, "but l
can't help that. I swung an ax once
and ached for month to pay for it. SO
I'm not ding to do it again."
She brought ont her pan of bread
wrapped In large cloth, and, setting it
in the bottom of tho buggy, sprung in
herself, and had soon driven the two
miles which lay between her own house
and her mothers. Arriving there she
carried in her pan and set it down with
laugh.
There. mother. I've come to bake
my bread. John and the others went
off without leaving me any wood, and |
had to do it or let it spoil. Men will
forget, you know
She was net going to blame him to
others. nor let them imagine how often,
since sho had gone US bride to John
Barker's new house only last spring,
she had this same trouble about wood.
"Thats right. Set 1t right down
there by the fire, sotill get het up be-
fore you knead 1t into loaves. Yes,
they will; and If any mans to be ex-
cused for not keepin' wood on his mind
it's John Barker, if there's anything In
blood and say there is. His father
is Just so-a real forehanded man, good
proyider, and took proper pride in hav-
in things spick und span about him,
but never seemin to think what both
or it was to the women folks not to have
their wood handy. Many and many's
the time I've dropped into tea with
Johns mother and see her have the
greatest timo a scrapin' up few chips
or shakin' the snow off sticks Of missr-
able green wood"
| Johns wife turned her face as she
took off her things, for fear her friends
| would see in her face how nearly her
own experience was already becoming
like that OF Johu's mother.
u used to toll her." went on her
mother that she'd ought to trained him
better whom he was young. Now, like
as not, John takes little after his faith
er--nobody could wonder at it--and l
wish father could haul you load or
two Of his good seasoned wood, spose
twouldn't do-eh, Susan?n
mo, 'twouldn't do, mother, thank
yon all the same"
Twilight of tho November day was
shutting in whoa John Barker, return.
ing to his house, missed the accustomed
fire glow in the windows.
What's up ? no firel no wife! No
wonderl" he calculated again, as he went
out and tookssa view of the wood ward.
After fifteen minutes work with his
az he carried in an armful of wood and
kindling, and hada bright fire crack
ling and swapping in the stove by the
time his wite's cheery voice was heard.
I've had real frolic, JOHN" she
said, tugging In basket, from which
she laid out several loaves of bread and
number of light, puffy biscuits. II
couldn't find any wood, so just hitch
ed up old Bill ard went over to moth
er's to bake my bread"
There was not the slightest shade of
reproach in her tones, but John felt a
tingle of modification at what had oc-
CURED. and resolved that it should not
happen again, and 30 he assured Susan
with great feryor.
And the next day he went vigorously
to work to keep his word. Logs, some
freshly felled, others which had fallen
through decay, were hauled from tho
piece OF timber land belonging to the
farm, and for week all hands sawed
and chopped with will. Then tho re-
sults were flung pell nell into the wood
shed, and John. who had never learned
at home to look far enough ahead to
think OF providing seasoned wood from
year to year, felt proud at having done
his duty like man.
And Susan, as she worried through
that winter with wood green or decayed,
too short or too long for the stove,
made up her mind land she had q good
aol OF mind Of her own to mako up)
that she would never worry through
such another, remembering some sensi-
Bile advice ber sensible, energetic moth
er had given her when she left home
Boar things, Susan. There's lots of
things has to be borne In this world,
and them that learns to bear 'em best's
the best of all. Men will be trying,
and il woman can't be patient it's apt to
make trouble. But mind-when l say
bear l mean there's reason In all things,
and don't mean you should bear
things that's out OF all reason. III o
woman'll let herself BIO trod on, and
them that does it'll never thank her for
it or look up to her for it. Bear what's
reasonable, Susan, but if things go bo-
yond reason, why then look out for
yourself"
1t came about that when the next
October term OF the Circuit Court was
in session John WAS drawn on the Jury
and had to be away for two weeks.
why, what in the worlds this, Su-
san2" he said, staring into the wood
shed when he got homo the second
Saturday.
"That's my winters supply Of wood"
said Susan.
"And how In thunder did It got
there--and in such good shape. tool"
He gazed at it in astonishment.
1t was in good shape. Row after
row OF wcll-seasoncd. noatly sawed and
split wood piled to the rafters, With u
heap OF pine and hcmlock In kindling
lengths iii one corner.
Il had it put there said Susan, qui-
city.
Co,nn .,... .,,.-4l